The inspection report commissioned by the Village of Cache Creek has concluded that “Although there are clearly signs of deterioration due to water damage and mould on the Upper Floor, Watson Engineering Ltd. notes that the Structure of the Building is substantially intact. Noting that we have not undertaken any numerical analysis of the capacity of the Structure of the Building, we note that there are insufficient signs of deterioration for us to conclude that the Building represents a significant Structural Hazard in its present condition.”

Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta says he is frustrated that there is no legal mechanism to force the Plaza’s owner, Joe Carhoon, to either fix or demolish the building. The only avenue left to the Village, he says, is its Unsightly Premises bylaw, which allows the Village to tell the owners of unsightly properties to clean them up or face prosecution. Under the bylaw, the Village can also undertake remedial work on the property and charge the property owner with the cost.

The building was inspected on Jan. 30 by the Cache Creek Fire Dept., the TNRD Building Inspection Services, Interior Health Environmental Services and Watson Engineering, Ltd., structural engineers, from Kamloops. All agreed that it was unsafe from many points of view, but could remain standing if it was not occupied.

However, Watson Engineering wrote in their report, “We can also conclude that – without remediation – components of Building will continue to deteriorate until (ultimately) some part of the Building (likely the timber components of the Upper Floor) become a significant Structural Hazard.”

In its report, the Fire Dept. stated that it would not risk going into the building should a fire occur, but that the Oasis Hotel, the Wander Inn and nearby Shell Gas Station would be at significant risk.

Ranta said the report has been forwarded to Cahoon with a request that he meet with Council to come up with a solution.